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NSW Youth Work Awards
Youth Action founded the NSW Youth Work Awards in 2013 to create an annual celebration of the exceptional work of youth services and youth workers across NSW.
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Congratulations to all the winners & nominees of the NSW Youth Work Awards 2020! If you missed the Awards this year you can now watch the event in the video above.
While 2020 had its challenges we witnessed some amazing new youth work practices and strong commitment from workers to support young people and ensure they were kept at the centre of all work.
This year for the first time the awards were held online. Please spare 5 minutes to send us feedback and help shape the event in 2021. Survey will close January 31, 2021
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NSW Youth Work Awards 2020
Nominees
Outstanding Partnership
Supported by the Department of Communities and Justice
Parkside Multi Service Youth Centre
Highly commended
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Evolve Housing for Youth and Milk Crate Theatre
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Step Up! High School Transitions
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Northern Beaches Council and Harris Farm Markets and Community Co-Op - Wellbeing Program
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After Dark - Glebe Youth Service
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Lillian Howell Project and Good Shepherd Counselling Partnership
Winners
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Girls In Business
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Cardiff Collaborative Community Project
Outstanding Work with Regional Young People
Supported by Training Services NSW
BT Works
Winners
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Uniting's Premiers Youth Initiative
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Out of the Box Programs
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Eurobodalla Shire Council Youth Recovery Forums
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Sonder Youth Changemakers Program
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Highlands Youth Services
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OurSPACE
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Outstanding Youth Participation
Supported by the Advocate of Children and Young People
Community First Step Youth Drop in at Fairfield and Community Youth Centre-
2Connect-ReThinkDomestic & Family Violence Prevention
Winners
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Wollondilly Youth Advisory Committee
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Glebe YouthService - Aboriginal Youth Advisory Council
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One Eighty Avalon
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What You Don't See - Youth Week 2020 Project
Highly commended
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Human Nature Adventure Therapy-Elev8 Program
Highly commended
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Cumberland Council Youth Week 2020
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North Sydney Local Health District Youth Health Promotion
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Youth HQ
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Youth Solutions
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Y NSW Online Leadership
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SENTRAL Youth Services -WerriBeach Mural Project
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Northern Beaches Council Youth Services Team
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Camden Youth Council
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Headspace Nowra Youth Reference Group
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DAYSS (Drug & Alcohol Youth Support Service)
Outstanding Use of Data and Evaluation
Supported by FAMS
The BEN (Business Education Network)
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ReachOut Australia: COVID-19 research and service response
Winners
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Community Activities Lake Macquarie Bi-Annual Youth Development Survey
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CareSouth Champions
Outstanding Work with Young People from Diverse Backgrounds and Experiences
Supported by the CREATE Foundation
Sheez Like the Wind Equine Experiences
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Life Without Barriers Youth Advocacy Program
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Beneath Our Skin - Blacktown Youth Services Association (BYSA)
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CALD Academy - Refugee Youth Learn to Swim Program (ADSI and Auburn Ruth Everuss Aquatic Centre)
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Multicultural Communities Social Football (MCSF)
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Macquarie Undergraduate Research Internship (MURI) Program
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GLAM – LGBTIQA+ Youth Support Program
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CORE Community Services
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STARTTS Multicultural Youth Group Newcastle
Winners
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Little Dreamers Australia
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Focus Connect
Outstanding Work with Aboriginal Young People
Supported by AbSec
Bunnal Aboriginal Youth Project
Winners
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WINS Community Centre
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OurSPACE
NSW Youth Sector Volunteer of the Year
Supported by the Centre of Volunteering
Jasmine Phillips
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Jahin Tanvir
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Brittany Cronin
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Rory Keyes
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Kimberley Lee
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Jennifer Sanders
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Brendan Brest
Winners
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Ariba Omar
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Fibha Frameen
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Leahanne Baker
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Lailah-Mae Bevan McInnes
NSW Youth Service of the Year
Supported by Local Government NSW
Blacktown Youth Services Association (BYSA)
Highly commended
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MiyayBirray Youth Service
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Glebe Youth Service
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Twenty10 inc GLCS NSW
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Down The Track
Winners
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LeaderLife
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Good Shepherd
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Marrickville Youth Resource Centre
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Northern Beaches Council Youth Development Team
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Productivity Bootcamp
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Northlakes Youth Service
NSW Emerging Youth Worker of the Year
Supported by ACWA
Isaiah Sines
Winners
Saira Mohammad
Alison Jones
Sharni Stuart
Ian Hall-Green
Caitlin Muddiman
Talei Vulatha
Lily Giles
NSW Youth Worker of the Year
Supported by Victoria University
Luke Wallace
Highly commended
Habil Mawardi
Katrina Hausia
Winners
Linda Dalton
Jodie Dickerson
Wade Harris
Mackenzie Edgington
Taygan Kenny
Roxarna Vella
Glen Crump
Maddy Forwood
Stacy Jacobs
Dzenet Tinjak
NSW YOUTH WORK HALL OF FAME
Every year Youth Action receives a number of incredible nominations for the Lifetime Achievement Award. Looking to pay tribute to the ongoing dedication of those nominated in this category, in 2020 the NSW Youth Work Hall of Fame was inaugurated. The Hall of Fame honours the hard work and commitment that these individuals have shown over their professional career. Over the course of the next year Youth Action will highlight and share the stories of the NSW Youth Work Hall of Fame inductees.
Lifetime Achievement Award
Together with the inauguration of the Hall of Fame, Youth Action decided to present one final Lifetime Achievement Award, in memory of Russell King
Supported by NCOSS
Russell King
Lifetime Achievement Winner 2020
Russell started as a volunteer at WAYS in 1987, and was the Chief Executive Officer of WAYS Youth & Family from 1989 until his passing in October 2019. Russell is responsible for the unbelievable growth and achievements of the wonderful organisation that is WAYS Youth & Family. As CEO, Russell always endeavoured to ensure that WAYS programs and activities are totally directed towards the needs of the young people and their families in the area.
Russell dedicated his life to WAYS and the young people it serviced, no one was turned away, he did everything to make sure they were kept safe and listened to. He was an advocate for young people everywhere, he spoke up and supported them when their voices needed to be heard.
Russell was a true visionary and innovator with an admirable sense of social justice. He has positively impacted careers and shaped people’s lives for the better.
Russell started as a volunteer at WAYS in 1987, and was the Chief Executive Officer of WAYS Youth & Family from 1989 until his passing in October 2019. Russell is responsible for the unbelievable growth and achievements of the wonderful organisation that is WAYS Youth & Family. As CEO, Russell always endeavoured to ensure that WAYS programs and activities are totally directed towards the needs of the young people and their families in the area.
Russell dedicated his life to WAYS and the young people it serviced, no one was turned away, he did everything to make sure they were kept safe and listened to. He was an advocate for young people everywhere, he spoke up and supported them when their voices needed to be heard.
Russell was a true visionary and innovator with an admirable sense of social justice. He has positively impacted careers and shaped people’s lives for the better.
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Justin Burke
Justin has been working with young people for more than 25 years in a variety of roles. These include working at a Summer Camp in NJ, USA, casual Links To Learning Officer at Manly Council, volunteer, casual and full time YDO role at Warringah Council. For the past 3 years Justin has been Youth Services Team Leader at Northern Beaches Council. Justin continues to work hard establishing and innovating a variety of youth programs, events and activities on the Northern Beaches and has built a new youth team with a focus on innovation, community and council collaboration, and partnerships. Justin is a strong advocate for young people to be involved in decision making processes which has led to creative ways that council consults with young people
Natalie Chiappazzo
Natalie is a passionate and dedicated Youth Practitioner, Leader and Change maker. For 15 years, Natalie has been the manager of Blacktown Youth Services Association (BYSA). Alongside her role at BYSA, Natalie is a board member of Western Sydney Community Forum where she represents the needs and passions of young people. Natalie is a strong advocate for and driving systems change across the Western Sydney region.
Throughout her career Natalie has been guided by the thousands of young people she has had the honour of working alongside. It is this guidance that has seen Natalie manage the only grassroots youth organisations that are immersed in Youth Culture and creativity. It has been a place of safety for young people who are living on the streets, an outlet for young people without a voice, and a sense of family for young people who cannot live at home.
Narelle Clay
Narelle Clay wears many hats – CEO of Southern Youth and Family Services (SYFS), Youth Worker, Mentor, and Advocate for Social Justice. For 35 years she has supported many young people in the Illawarra, Shoalhaven, South West Sydney, and the Southern Tablelands of NSW.
Narelle has been a Member of the Prime Minister’s Council on Homelessness, a Member of the National Advisory Group Better Futures Local Solutions, a Member of the NSW Homelessness Alliance, a Member of the National Data Users’ Advisory Group, a Member of the NSW FACS Homelessness Data Advisory Group, a Member of the Southern Region’s Area Managers Group, as well as various other Commonwealth, State and Local Government Advisory processes. She believes everyone should have the opportunity to achieve their aspirations and works hard to secure housing, education and training opportunities, employment, secure income and a decent standard of living for all young people who seek her support.
Glen Crump
Glen is a Kamilaroi nation man who has been advocating for youth rights for the past 20 years. Glen has engaged in advocating for youth rights since he was a young person himself, he started by volunteering in numerous youth advisory positions, such as the NSW Premier Youth Advisory Council, Regional Board of Youth Affairs and he founded the first Moree Youth Council. Glen was twice named Moree’s Young Person of the Year and his fierce passion for youth rights has developed into a powerful career as a youth worker. For the past 16 years Glen has supported rural young people and Aboriginal young people in Moree while working with the Miyay Birray Youth Service. In his spare time away from working with Miyay Birray Glen supports young people who are navigating the criminal justice system and the juvenile detention space. Glen was also a pivotal member of Youth Action's (YAPAs) Aboriginal advisory group that held the first NSW Aboriginal Youth Conference, bringing together delegates from all around the state to develop an Aboriginal Youth Policy which was delivered to the Premier and Minister for Aboriginal affairs.
Glen is an incredibly dedicated youth worker who will go to any length to advocate for the young people he works with. He has never been afraid to represent young people's views in the toughest of spaces, and against the toughest opposition.
Glen has dedicated his career to providing space and empowerment for young people and is an especially strong advocate for the rights and voices of Aboriginal young people. Glen is a tireless Youth Worker who is thought of as “the person who is always there, any time, any day, whenever needed” by his peers and the young people he works with.
Samantha King
Samantha King has been working in the Youth Sector in the Northern Beaches / Northern Sydney region for the past 17 years with the Business Education Network. She has been an ongoing advocate for young people entering the workforce and in more recent years, the broader support for young people in their transition from adolescence to adulthood / from secondary education to the journey that lies beyond.
Through her role at the Northern Beaches Youth Interagency as Chairperson she has ensured that the voice of young people is utilised for development of key projects to ensure the highest rate of success and support from young people.
Graeme Riddell
Graeme made the big leap from the corporate to the community sector over 15 years ago to concentrate on his passion for supporting young people on their sometimes difficult journey to independence. Graeme has a relentless attitude when it comes to uplifting those around him. His nature is calm and joyous, even in the most stressful of situation he is able to remain calm and dedicated to supporting those around him.
Graeme never compromises to deliver dedicated outcomes to young people, he remains patient and consistent with each young person he meets. As a manager at CORE Community Services he continually drives the over arching importance of empowering young people to make their own choices and strive for independence.
History
Youth Action founded the NSW Youth Work Awards in 2013 to create an annual celebration of the exceptional work of youth services and youth workers across NSW.
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